Typesetting means in laundry marking machines



Nov. 6, 1951 J. F. ANDERSON 2,573,756

' TYPE SETTING MEANS IN LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1947 v 2SHEETS'SHEET 1 v INVENTOR. Jo seph F. Anderson ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1951 J."F. ANDERSON TYPE SETTING MEANS IN LAUNDRY MARKING MACHINE- Y FiledApril 25; 1947 2 SHEETSQSHEET 2 v INVENTOR.' Joseph F. AndersonATTORNEIS Patented Nov. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,573,756 ITYPESETTING MEANS m time MARKING MACHINES .lose'pli F. Anders'on,Denver, 001b,, assignor to Burr Watson & Associates, Inc'., Denver,0010.,

a corporation of Colorado Application April 23, 1947, sear No. 743,263

3 oi-aims. (01. 101-95) 1 lhis invention relates to marking machines andmore particularly to marking maehines for printing identification markson tags, clothing, articles of merchandise and the like. I One of theobjects of my inventionis to produce ail iihpr'oved mar ing machine.which will e compact and small in size, simple and s'turdyfin.

construction, easy to operate and service, and economical tomanufacture. Another object is to embody in a marking machine havingrotatable type wheels or equivalent members, an improved and compactmeans for rotating said type wheels or members to a desired 'ii ti s-esi A further object is to produce an improved arrangement of gearing anda quadrant lever for rotating a type wheel or equivalent member toselected printing positions. p

Yet ano her ob'ect is to provide improved means for properly and easilylocating each of the numerous selective positions of each type wheel andyieldably maintaining the type wheel in the slected position.

A further object is to provide improved means for aligning the typewheels of a marking machine and locking said wheels against relativerotation. u q r A-still further object is to produce ,iiripro'edmounting means for the type wheels of nia machines which in permit easrem ver assembly of the type wheels as a unit and thereby facilitateservicing or repair. e 7 A y Otherobjects of theinvention will becoeapj: parent from the following description taken connection with theaccompanying drawings showing, by way of example, a marking machineembodying said invention.

In the drawings: A H M v Figure l is a perspective view of the markingmachine; v

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing details of the structurefor rotatingthe type wheels and yieldably maintaining such in anyselected positions; H I

Figure 3 is ahsectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figur M.

Figure 4 is a view showing the spring arrangement for liner bar; 1

Figure 5 is a side View showing theinlrer and platen arm assembly in theposition assumed when inking is performed; 7 w I Figure 6 is anotherside view of part gf the structure of Figure 5, but showing it aposition assumed when the platen arm is moved forwardly after inking hastaken place; and i, M H

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a type wheel assembly showing anotherarrangement for the liner bar; I

Referring to the drawings in det i lanc l;firs t tc Figure 1-; themarking machine disclosed has a base member I, side frame members 2 and3. at} tached thereto and arranged in verticalspaced relation. The upperedges of these side frame members are curved, as shown, and attachedthereto is an indicia or face plate alshaving slots 5 therein, throughwhich extend the upper handle ends 6 of the quadrant or sector levers lshown in detail in Figure 2. The particular marking machine shownisprovided with eighttypewheels for marking pru'po'ses and thus thereare provided eight slots 5 in the indicifa plate; one for each quadrantlever employed to selectively setatype wheel; Adjacent each slot areembossed or otherwise placed upon the indicia plate the in dieia qrcharjaeters to indicatethe corresponding characters which are carried bythe type wheels. The characters can be letters, numerals or any othersymbols. In thema'rking machinesh'own there are both letters andnumerals, the numerals being adjacent the upper end portions of theslots and the letters extending from the numerals down to thelower endsof the slots. The marking machine canbe provi'ded with a suitableremovable back plate so as to keep out foreign material, said plate notbeing disclosed in the perspective view of Figure l. g V I A Mountedbetween the two side frame' members of the markingjniachine and adjacentthe front eperiing thereof below the indicia" plate is a type wheelassembly generally indicated by the nuin'eral ;8. In this type wheelassembly there are eight type wheels 9 positioned between two sideplates orend' members l0 and II. Supported at its ends in suitablebosses in these side plates is a sleeve type shaft L2 for rotatablymounting the type wheels. The ends of the sleeve shaft are suitablysecured mthe end plates so as to be removable when desired, Interposedbetween adjacent type wheels and also the side plates and the end typewheels are thin spacer plates 13 As best shown in Figures 2 and 3; eachspacer; plate is provided with an extension l4 at the rear side thereof.A pin 15 extends through these extensions of thespafcer plates and' has'its en'd's' connected in similar extensions l6 of the side plates. Thusthe side plates and spacer plates are held against relative rotatiombu'tthe type; wheels are free to rotate on the 's'l ee'veshaft' or theassembly. In order that the type wheel as sembl ay nlmpsfl mwnt d'.nithe' tee side r m 2 a diq ihesme kin m t t eir is provided a singleheadedrod I being arranged to be u r e in. u t ble nm n Openings? in thetwo side'frame members. This rod is held the slide members by means ofathumb screw la mounted in the forward edge of the frame side member3 Iin order that the side plates of the typewheel assemb yli s he W thin? sr. la s a be prevented from rotation on the rod H, the

side plates l and H are provided with integral outwardly extending pinsor lugs l9 and 20, as best shown in Figure 3. The lug I9 on the sideplate I0 is arranged to be positioned between two spaced lugs or guides2| and 22 extending in wardly from the side frame member 3. In a similarmanner the lug of the other side member of the type wheel assembly isarranged to extend between two lugs or guides 23 and 24 extendinginwardly from the other side frame member 2. The lugs I9 and 20 on theside plates are positioned rearwardly of the axis of the type wheelassembly and therefore it will be seen that the side plates will beprevented from rotation, as will also the spacer plates 9 since they areconnected to the side plates by the pin I5.

The particular type wheel assembly shown and the manner in which it isarranged to be mounted between the two side frame members 2 and 3 of themarking machine will permit the type wheel assembly to be readilyremoved from the machine as a unit so that this assembly can be cleaned,otherwise serviced or repaired. The removal of the assembly isaccomplished by merely loosening the thumb screw l8, pulling thesupporting rod I! outwardly through the sleeve l2, and then sliding outthe type wheel assembly by pulling forwardl thereon. The lugs l9 and 20will thus be slipped from between the cooperating lugs on the inside ofthe side frame member. When it is desired to replace the type wheelassembly it can be grasped so that the lugs I9 and 20 are away from thehand and inserted between the side frame members so that these lugsslide in between their cooperating lugs on'the side frame members. Thiswill support the type wheel assembly while the sleeve I2 is axiallyaligned with the holes in the side frame members so that the rod I! canbe inserted in the sleeve I2 and the opening in the side frame member 3.The assembly will be completed when the thumb screw is turned up to holdthe rod I! in position.

The improved mechanism which is employed to rotate the type wheels ofthe marking machine to any selected positions is shown in detail inFigure 2 and reference thereto is now made. On a shaft 25 having itsends mounted in the side frame members 2 and 3 towards the back side ofthe marking machine are the previously referred to eight quadrant orsector levers I which are provided with the handle ends 6 positionedabove the slots 5 in the indicia plate so as to be readily movable bythe hand of the operator. Each quadrant or sector lever 1 has an arcuateportion 26 provided with teeth 21 on its inner curved edge. The arcuateportion is supported by a slightly curved connecting part 28 extendingfrom the lever adjacent its pivot to the lower end of the arcuateportion. Forwardly of the shaft 25 forming the pivotal mounting for thequadrant levers is another shaft 29 having its ends supported insuitable bosses on the inside of the two side frame members 2 and 3 ofthe marking machine. On this shaft 25 are rotatably mounted eight spurgears 30, each of which is arranged to have its teeth 3| in meshingengagement with the teeth 32 of a type wheel, said teeth of the typewheel carrying on their outer ends the letters and numerals foraccomplishing the printing or marking. Integral with each gear 33 is asmaller spur gear 33, the teeth 34 of which are arranged to mesh withthe teeth 21 on the inner edge of the arcuate portion 26 of a quadrantlever. Thus with the integral gears and 33 it is seen that by swinging aquadrant lever 1 about its pivot 25, there will be a transfer of rotarymovement from the lever to a type wheel so that the type wheel can berotated and set in any desired selected position. Since the spur gears33 are considerably smaller than the gears 30, each quadrant lever canmove in between the larger gears 30 as is well illustrated in Figure 2.The number of teeth on the spur gear 32 and the number of teeth on thegear 30 are so selected that any of the numbers or letters on a typewheel can be selected by moving the handle ends 6 of the quadrant leversfrom one end of its slot 5 to the other end of said slot.

In connection with the quadrant lever and gearing arrangement foroperating each type wheel, it is to be particularly noted that byproviding teeth on the inside edge of the arcuate portion 26 of thequadrant lever and employing the large and small gears 30 and 33 inassociation therewith and with the type wheels that it is possible in avery small space to obtain a complete 380 degree rotation of each typewheel by moving a quadrant lever through an are which is only a smallfraction of 380 degrees. The compact arrangement for rotating each typewheel results in a much smaller marking machine than could otherwise beobtained, particularly by such known type wheel actuating means whereinthe type wheel is actuated directly by external teeth on a curvedportion of a lever or bythe interpositioning of a gear between externalteeth on a lever and the teeth of the type wheel. The particularactuating means disclosed between the quadrant lever and the type wheelhas resulted in the production of a marking machine which isconsiderably less as to the height and depth of marking machines whichare at present on the market and employing other types of driving meansbetween a lever and a type wheel as already referred to.

In order that any selected position of the type wheel may be easilylocated and maintained against accidental shifting, there is provided asimple and efiicient yielding means which is arranged to operate foreach selected type wheel position. Pivotally mounted on the same shaft25 on which the quadrant levers are pivoted are eight arms 35. Thesearms are arranged alternately with the quadrant levers and such resultsin an arm lying in the same plane as the small gear 33 and extendingbeneath the said gear. These arms also act as spacer members betweenadjacent quadrant levers. On the upper edge of each of these arms is acurved portion 36 having such curvature as to be able to projectpartially in between adjacent teeth 3| of the large gear 30, but yet beeasily pushed out from between said teeth and ride over a tooth wheneverthe quadrant lever and gear 30 is rotated. The rear end of each arm 35has an extending portion 31 and to the free end of which there isconnected one end of a coil spring 38. The other end of the spring isattached to a rod 39 extending between and supported in the two sideframe members 2 and 3. It is thus seen that each spring 38 will so acton the arm 35 as to bias the arm upwardly so that its curved portion 36can cooperate with the teeth 3| of the gear 30. Thus there is provided aposition locating means for each movement of the gear 30 correspondingto the distance between teeth, and since the gear 30 meshes with teethon a type wheel, then there will be a corresponding locating for eachtooth of the type wheel which carries an indicia. It is to beparticularly noted that the yieldable locating means for the type"wheels also functions by means of the arm as a spacer between quadrantlevers and thereby reduces the number of parts in the machine.

In order to rigidly lock the type wheels in any desired position and-toalso insure thatthe selected indicia or type on all the type wheels isproperly aligned for marking purposes, there is provided a liner andlocking bar 40, as shown in Figure 1, which is of a general U-shape, theleg portions of which are pivoted by pins 4| and 42 to the insidesurfaces of the side frame members 2 and 3 at points slightly above thetop of the type wheel assembly. The body portion of the liner bar thuscan be swung to a position above the type wheel assembly so that it isfree therefrom or can be swung downwardly sov that the main bodyportion. thereof will enter the spaces between teeth of the type wheels.If the spaces should be slightly out of alignment, the bar will bringthem into alignment as it is pushed down- Wardly. The baris providedwith spaced fiat members 43 and 44 at its forward side so as to providefinger grasping -means to permit easy swinging of the liner bar. Theforward edges of the side frame members are formed with short inwardlyextending flanges 45 and 46 and it is to be noted that the legs of thealigning bar are bent to fit around these flanges. On .the inside of oneof the flanges, as 45, there is attached a leaf spring 41 (shown indetail in Figure 4) and this leaf spring is so formed and so cooperateswith a bent part of the bar as to provide a yield able means for holdingthe bar in any desired position. Thus if the bar is swung upwardly awayfrom the type wheel the spring will insure that the bar will be heldfree of the wheel and not drop down and interfere with the rotation ofthe type wheels.

In place of mounting the liner bar on the two side frame members, thebar can be mounted on the type wheel assembly. Such an arrangement isshown in Figure '7. In this arrangement the liner bar 43 is providedwith an L-shaped exten-' sion 49 which is pivoted to the side plate ID,for example, of the type wheel assembly. A finger grasping member 50 isprovided near the juncture of the liner bar and extension 49 so as tofacilitate swinging the bar either to a locking position with the typewheels or free of the type wheels. In order that the bar may be held inits various positions, there is provided a coil spring 49 connected atone end to the elbow' of the L-shaped extension 49 and at the other endto the side plate It]. When the liner bar is swung away from the typewheels this spring will be moved so as to be slightly over center withrespect to the pivotal axis of the L-shaped arm 49 and it can thus holdthe liner bar in its inoperative position. When the liner bar is movedinto engagement with the type wheels to perform its aligning and lockingoperations, the spring will be so positioned that it will be effectiveto hold the liner bar in operative position.

Referring now to Figures 1, 5 and 6, the lower front corners of the twoside frame members have mounted therein the ends of a. shaft 5| uponwhich is pivoted the inker and platen assembly generally indicated bythe numeral 52. This assembly has a hub portion 53 pivoted on the shaft5| and integral therewith and extending therefrom in divergingrelationship is the platen or printer arm 54. and the inker arm 55. Theupper end of the-platen arm carries a handle 56 having rounded handgrasping portions at its ends. Mounted on the central part of thishandle is wheels.

a platen clip 51 and the platen 58'. The inke'r' arm 55, at its upperend, has pivotally. mounted thereon an inker assembly generallyindicated by the numeral 59 and comprising an inker member 60 pivoted tothe inker arm 55 by a pin 6|. The inker member carries the inker pad 62between opposite side-flanges 63 and 64, which flanges carry rollers 65and 66 adapted for en'- gagement with the side plates l0 and II of thetype wheel assembly (see Figure 5) and to roll thereon, as willbe laterdescribed. These side plates I0 and H are also provided with curvedrecesses 61 and 68 for receiving the rollers-65 and B6,'respective1y, sothat as the inker arm is moved forwardly the inker pad can engage thepresented type and apply ink thereto. The inker member 60 has attachedthereto a spring 69 which extends downwardly along the forward side ofinker arm 55 and has its lower end attached to the lower portion of theinker arm.- This spring normally maintains the inker memher in alignedrelationship with the inker arm 55 which is determined by stops 10. Theinker member, however, is permitted to swing backwardly with respect tothe inker arm 55 under yielding of the spring. This swinging rearwardlywill occur when the inker arm is moved forwardly to cause the inker padto engage the type of the type wheels. The rearward swinging willcontinue as the inker arm is continued to be moved forwardly by themoving of the handle and the platen arm forwardly towards the type wheelassembly. As the inker arm 55 moves forwardly beneath the type wheelassembly, the rollers will move out of the recesses 6! and 68 and on tothe circulareclges of the side plates of the type wheel assembly asillustrated in Figure 6. This will result in the inker pad being movedoutwardly away from the type wheels, remaining away from it as therollers roll down the edges of the side" plates of the type wheelassembly. Thus the inker assembly will be moved out of the path ofmovement of the platen 58 as the platen arm moves forwardly. Printingwill occur when the platen arm engages any tag or other material placedover the face of the platen and this tagor other material is forced bythe movement of the platen arm into engagement with the type It is to beparticularly noted that the construction of the inker arm,inkerassem'bly and platen arm is very simple and because of the integralarrangement of the hub, the inker arm 55 and the platen arm, one pivotcan be employed for the whole mechanism, thus decreasing the number ofparts.

In order to provide a yieldable retractile stop for the inker arm andplaten arm, the base I of the machine carries the rubber bumper H andwhen the platen arm engages this bumper the inker assembly will be ininoperative position where said assembly is spaced away fromis veryeasily operated, as all that needs be done is select the desiredcharacters by operating the quadrant levers to positions indicated onthe indicia plate alongside of each slot. This will then locate eachtype wheel so that the indicia thereon which is presented for engagementby the platen 58 will correspond to the indicia on 7 the indicia plateas selected by a quadrant lever. If it is desired to lock the typewheels in their selected positions, the liner bar employed can belowered, which will also insure that the selected charactersor type onthe type wheels will be'in proper alignment. To accomplish the printing,the article tobe printed is placed over the platen, the handle 56grasped and the platen arm swung forwardly. If a tag is to be marked, asuitable tag holder might be employed to hold the tag on the face of theplaten. If a piece of cloth or paper is to be printed it can beconveniently held by the hands as they are employed to grasp the ends ofthe handle. The initial forward movement of the handle and platen armwill bring the inker pad into engagement with the selected type, thusplacing inkon the type, which occurs just prior to the rollers enteringthe recesses 61 and 68 as illustrated in Figure 5. During inking theinker assembly will be moved backward somewhat with respect to the inkerarm. Continued forward movement of the handle and platen arm will thenresult in the further bending backward of the inker assembly relative tothe inker arm as the rollers move out of the recesses 61 and 68 in theside plates l and H of the type Wheel assembly, all as illustrated inFigure 6. The upper end of the inker arm 55 will thus continue to moveunder the type wheel assembly and the inker assembly will follow it withthe inker pad out of contact with the type of the type wheel. When theplaten arm is moved so that the tag or other material is forced intoengagement with the type by the platen 58, printing will occur. Thehandle and platen arm are then returned to their initial position, asshown in Figure 1, which will result in the inker assembly on the end ofthe inker arm 55 also assuming the position shown in Figure 1.

In the particular marking machine shown, full 380 degree type wheels areemployed, but in place thereof quadrants can be employed with typethereon if desired, particularly where fewer charactors are to beprinted. It is, therefore, to be understood that the word type wheel isintended to include any rotatable member'having type thereon. The numberof type wheels and rotating gears and quadrant levers can be varied asdesired. Therefore, being aware of the possibility of modifications ofthe particular structure shown and described without departing from thefundamental principles of my invention, it is not intended that thescope of said invention be limited in any manner except in accordancewith the appended claims. 7

What is claimed is:

1. In a marking machine having a plurality of rotatable members eachprovided with printing type on the peripheral portion and all beingrotatable on a common axis, a plurality of pivoted levers mounted on acommon shaft, gearing means between each lever and a type carryingrotatable member for rotating the latter to selected positions, andmeans cooperating with teeth of the gearing means between each lever anda retatable member for yieldably holding a rotatable member in anyselected position, each of said last named means comprising an armpivoted on the pivot shaft of the levers and having a portion forpartial reception in the space between gearing teeth to permit rotationof the gearing means in either direction, and spring means acting on thearm and yieldably opposing the movement of the arm portion from saidpartial reception position, said arms being alternately arranged withthe levers. 2'. In a marking machine having a plurality of rotatablemembers each provided with printing type on the peripheral portion andall being rotatable on a common axis, a plurality of pivoted leversmounted on a common shaft, each of said levers having an arcuate portionwith the axis of the lever as its center and being provided withinwardly extending teeth, a plurality of sets of gears rotatable on acommon axis, each set comprising two gears of different size connectedto rotate together with the teeth of the smaller gear of each setmeshing with the teeth on a lever andthe larger gear of said setarranged to rotate in a plane adjacent to the plane of movement of thelever, means for rotating a type carrying rotatable member by the largergear of each set, and means for cooperating with the teeth of the largergear of each set for yieldably holding the gear in positions it assumeswhen rotated through a space between teeth or any multiple thereof, eachof said last named means comprising an arm pivoted intermediate its endson the pivot shaft of the levers and lying in the plane of rotation of alarger gear, one end of said arm being provided with a portion forpartial reception between teeth of a larger gear, and a spring acting onthe other end of the arm for biasing the said one end of the arm forcooperation with the teeth of the larger gear, said arms beinalternately arranged with respect to the levers and the arms betweenadjacent levers acting as spacer members.

3. In a marking machine having a plurality of rotatable members eachprovided with printing type on the peripheral portion and all beingrotatable on a common shaft, a plurality of levers mounted on a commonpivotal shaft positioned rearwardly of the members, gearing meansbetween each lever and a type carrying rotatable member for rotating thelatter to selected positions, and a means cooperating with teeth of eachgearing means, between each lever and a rotatable member for yieldablyholding a rotatable member in any selected position, said last namedmeans including a yieldably operated member pivoted on the pivotal shaftof the levers, said yieldably operated members being alternatelyarranged with the levers and capable of permitting rotation of the gearsin either direction while engaging the teeth thereof.

JOSEPH F. ANDERSON.

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